The invention relates to a container for flat objects in a vertical position. These objects can be, for example, flat items of mail of different formats. Modern letter sorting systems reach peak throughputs of up to 45,000 items of mail per hour. As a rule, emptying is carried out manually, that is to say the sorted stacks of items of mail are transferred by hand from the sorter into mail containers. In the process, the items of mail have to be put into the mail containers from above. The mail containers themselves are then either stacked manually onto carts or transferred to tray management systems. This manual process is associated with a high error rate on the part of the operator, high physical stress on the operator and low throughputs.
During the supply of the items of mail into the sorters, there is likewise generally a manual transfer from containers to the separating apparatus of the sorter.
During this unloading process, the items of mail are lifted out of the container, shaken out or the container is tipped upside down and lifted off the items of mail (DE 195 45 716 C1). In particular in the case of items of mail with different formats or items of mail with large formats, this procedure is complicated or even not possible at all without the alignment of the items of mail on two edges being lost.
In EP 0 109 325, FR 2 621 297, mail containers needed for this purpose are described. These consist of plastic (PP) and have various reinforcements in order to achieve the necessary dimensional stability. These containers are configured in such a way that, if they are aligned mutually with one another and aligned so as to be rotated through 180° about the vertical axis in relation to one another, they can be stacked in one another.
An appropriate container for flat objects, such as letters, in a vertical position has also been described in DE 94 17 521 U1.
Also known is a container having an end wall which is designed as a roller shutter which can be displaced downward into an intermediate space in the bottom (DE 92 11 U1). This roller shutter solution is relatively heavy and needs a great deal of space.